Semi-automatic simulated racing game



J1me 1965 s. M. SALTZMAN 7 3, 92,413

SEMI-AUTOMATIC SIMULATED RACING GAME Filed Dec. '7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 United States Patent 3,192,413 SEMI-AUTOMATIC SIMULATED RACING GAME Samuel M. Saltzman, 34--42 72nd Ave, Jackson Heights, N .Y. Filed Dec. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 157,756 7 Claims. (Cl. 307-132) This invention relates to games, and more particularly it relates to automatic or semi-automatic devices for simulating racing contests and the like.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an amusement device or game which simulates racing contests and the like by electromechanical means which is controlled by chance and to a certain extent by manipulative skill.

Another object is to provide an electromechanical racing game wherein the mechanism is controlled by a novel manually operable control device. I

A feature of the invention relates to a novel automatic circuit controller which combines the elements of chance and manipulative skill for controlling the incremental movements of a simulated racing element along a track.

Another feature relates to a circuit controller in the form of a drum or housing carrying on its interior a plurality of contact sets arranged to be bridged by one or more freely falling members, such as metal balls, when the drum or housing has its positional orientation changed either manually, automatically or by a combination of manual and automatic elements.

Another feature relates to a novel amusement device comprising the use of an endless figure-of-eight electric track and a motor driven member on the track, together with a novel circuit controller for semi-automatically advancing the said member along the track at an unpredictable rate, which rate to a certain extent is determined by the skill of a player.

A further feature relates to the novel organization, arrangement, and relative location and interconnection of parts which, by their joint cooperation, constitute a novel amusement device of the simulated racing kind.

Other features and advantages not specifically enumerated will be apparent after a consideration of the following detailed descriptions and the appended claims.

In the drawing, which shows certain typical embodiments,

FIG. 1 is a composite structural and wiring diagram of a game according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the manually operable circuit controllers shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 44 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a modification of the relay control of FIGS. 1 and 2:

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 6-6 thereof;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the electromechanically controlled starting gate;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a modification of the controller of FIGS. 1 to 4;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of FIG. 8 taken along the line 9-9 thereof.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 shows in plan view a three-track device comprising three dual electric rails 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b. These tracks may be of any well known construction such as employed in any well known electric toy train control device. The tracks are arranged in an endless figure eight formation with the cross-over region of the tracks separated from each other by a suitable elevated insulating bridge 14. By this arrangement, no favoritism is possible between inside and outside tracks. A rail of each pair, for example rails 11a, 12a, 13a, are the ground return rails and are connected to ground as indicated. The remaining rails of each pair, namely rails 11b, 12b, 13b, are connected over respective conductors 15, 16, 17 to the movable armatures 18, 19, 20 of an electromechanical relay 21 whose function will be described hereinbelow.

Arranged to contact with each pair of rails is a corresponding movable member 22, 23, 24, each of which contains a miniature electric motor of any well known type such as is employed in toy electric train control devices. The track 10 may be fastened to any suitable insulating board or flat support 25. Attached to the board 25 by means of a pair of uprights 26, 27 is a metal cross-bar 28 which carries a set of three swingable contact members 29, 30, 31 mounted in alignment above respective tracks. Also attached to the uprights 26, 27 is an insulator strip 32 carrying three contact points 33, 34, 35 in line with the respective swingable contacts 29, 30, 31. Each of the fixed contact points 33, 34, 35 is provided with a respective conductor 36, 37, 38 which leads to the winding of a respective relay 39, 4t 41. The swingable contacts 29-31 are normally in a vertical positon where they are out of contact with the respective stationary contacts 33-35. The cont-acts 29-31 and 33-35 constitute the finish gate so that when any of the movable members 22, 23, 24 engages the respective movable strip contact it immediately operates its corresponding relay 39, 40, 41 and the operation of that relay disconnects the positive 12-volt direct current power terminal 42 from all the tracks, as will be described hereinbelow. The finish gate is mounted for vertical movement on the uprights 26, 27 so that it can be raised either manually or electromagnetically out of the path of the movable members when the latter are to be advanced to the starting gate under control of a reset switch to be described. The finish gate can be raised by an electromagnet 29a or controlled by a suitable switch 2% connected to the 24-volt supply terminal 43.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the various electromechanical relays are of the 24-volt kind and are supplied with operating current from the positive 24-volt terminal 43. The contacts 29-31 and 33-35 constitute what may be termed a finish gate so that when any set of contacts is closed by the first arriving movable member thereat, the power is disconnected from the tracks and at the same time the corresponding one of the three indicator lamps 44, 45, 46 is illuminated from the -volt supply line through the contacts of the correspondingly operated relay of the set 39-41.

In order to insure that all the movable elements start from .the same position, there is provided a starting gate consisting of a swingable vane 47 which is swingably mounted on a vertical rotatable upright 48 rotatably supported on board 25 (see FIG. 7). The vane 47 constitutes what may be termed the starting gate and normally it extends across all the tracks and is held against a suitable fixed stop 49 by means of a combination spring 50 and cord 51 passing around pulley 52 fastened to upright 48. The other end of cord 51 is connected to the plunger 53 of a solenoid 54. When the solenoid 54 is energized it draws in the plunger 53 and opens the gate 47 and at the same time the plunger 53 closes a pair of normally open contacts 55, 56, the function of which is to. be described hereinbelow.

Each non-grounded rail has a short length 110, 12c, 13c which is insulated at its opposite ends from its respective rail. Each section 110, 12c, is somewhat longer than the length between the forward'and rear wheels of the corresponding movable member 22, 23, 24. Thus, when any of the movable members reaches its insulated track section it is deprived of current and stops. In order to advance all the movable members to the same starting position in front of the gate 47 prior to starting of each race, there is provided an operable reset switch 60 which can be operated manually. That switch when normal maintains through its contacts 61, 62 the locking circuits for the relays 31 and the solenoid 54. However, when the switch. 60 is operated for resetting purposes, it breaks the locking circuit of those relays and the solenoid 54 at contacts 61, 62. The insulated track sections 110, 12c, 130 are normally connected to the start contacts 98, 99 through contacts 64a and as on the reset switch 60. When the switch n is operated, power is applied from terminal 42 through contacts 63 and as directly to brush 87 of the controller 70 to advance the movable members toward the starting gate 47. At the same time the circuit from the insulated sections 11c, 12c, 130 through wire 65 is opened by contacts sea and 64 so that the movable members will stop when each has reached its insulated section and they are in the proper starting position in front of gate 47 whereupon the switch 60 can be released.

In order to start each race the manually operable starting switch 66 is operated, which closes the energizing circuit for the gate solenoid 54. At the same time the l2-volt track supply from terminal 42 is applied through the respective resistors 67, 68, 69 of the random and manually manipulated circuit controller 70A, 70B, 70C to be described hereinbelow, and through the normally closed contacts of relay 21 to the respective track rails. The resistors 67, 68, 69 are chosen each of the same value so as to operate the motors of the devices 22, 23, 24 at the same rate, which may be a relatively slow rate. Under control of the devices 70A, 70B, 70C, the resistors 67, 68, 69 are short-circuted for relatively short periods in random combinations at respective relay contact sets 91A, 01B; 92A, 92B; 93A, 933, etc. The short-circuiting of any given resistor increases correspondingly the current through the respective motor on a respective movable member 22, 23, 24 and advances that particular member at a high rate of speed as compared with the remaining movable members whose controller contacts remain open. In other words, when none of the resistors are short-circuited, the members 22, 23, 24 move gradually at substantially the same rate. When a resistor is shortcircuited the corresponding member is given an additional impulse of current to move it incrementally at a higher rate of speed.

Prior to describing the operation of the game in detail, a description will now be given of a preferred one of the random but manually manipulated circuit controls 70A, 70B, 70C, all of which may be of like construction. Each control (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) comprising an inner cylindrical drum 74 of suitable insulation, such as hard rubber or plastic, and an outer protective cylinder 75 also of insulating material. If desired, the outer cylinder 75 may be omitted. The ends of the drum 74 are closed oh by circular headers 76, 77 of plastic, wood or other insulation and each header carries a centrally located manually grippable handle 78, 79. While the drawing shows the said headers having circular recesses or slots into which the ends of the drum and cylinder are tightly fitted, it will be understood that the drum and cylinder may be fastened to the headers in any other convenient manner. Preferably the fastening is by means of screws 80, till, 82, 83, two of which, for example screws 80, 81, may also serve as binding posts to which the circuit wires 84, 85 can be suitably fastened.

Suitably fastened or plated onto the inner peripheral surface of drum '74 is a first conductive comb consisting of the longitudinal yoke 36 formed with a plurality of circular comb contacts 87, 88, 8'9, 90. As shown in FlG. 3, the circular comb contacts do not extend completely around the periphery of the drum but terminate to form a gap 91. Likewise fastened or plated on to the interior surface of drum 74 is another longitudinal conductive d yoke 92 integrally united to a series of comb contacts 93, 94, 95, 96. The longitudinal yokes 8 5 and 92 are in electrical contact with the retainer screws and 81.

While the drawing shows each comb comprising a set of four circular teeth, it will be understood that each comb may have a greater or lesser number. In any event the combs are so arranged that they form a plurality of pairs of relatively closely spaced circular contacts. The spacing between each contact of such a pair is correlated with the diameter of the metal balls which are arranged to bounce around or freely fall within the drum '74 as that drum is turned or tilted by manually manipulating handles 7 8, 79. Thus, in FIG. 2 there are shown four contact balls 97, 98, 90, 100, although the invention is not limited to any particular number of such balls. In fact, a single ball alone may be used. However, the diameter of the ball is slightly greater than the spacing between the above noted contact sets so that when a ball bridges any such contact set it closes an electrical circuit thereacross.

In the normal position of the drum, for example in a horizontal position, the ball or balls rest by gravity on the bottom of the drum, as indicated in FIG. 2, but in this position no ball bridges any of the contact sets. In order to cause a ball to bridge a contact set, the contestant must manipulate the device by means of handles 78, 79 in an effort to cause one or more balls to roll, fall or bounce into contact with any pair of contact sets. In order to increase the random action of the device, the above noted asembly is mounted on a coil spring 101 which may be attached at its upper end of boss 102 to the cylinder 75 and at its lower end it may be attached to a boss 103 on a stationary supporting housing 104. By reason of this spring support, the drum '74 can be turned or tilted to any desired position either in a slow motion or in any desired motion by manipulation of the handles 78, 79. In other words, the device consisting of the elements 74 to can be considered as mounted for universal motion on a compressible support. However, in order to prevent a contestants finding accidentally any particular position where a ball bridges a contact set and by means of experience or skill holding the device stationary in such a position, the invention contemplates subjecting the assembly to a random mechanical shock or vibration that has the elfect of bouncing the drum 74 and thus preventing any ball from remaining indefinitely in any Contact bridging position under control of the contestant. Typical of such an arangement, there may be provided a plunger rod which is arranged to be projected against the boss 103 carried by hinged cover 104 hinged at 104a and which is normally held in closed position by suitable springs 104B. The lower end of rod 105 is adapted to be struck by an irregular rotating cam 106 driven by a suitable electric motor 107. The circuit of motor 107 is intermittently closed by any well known intermittent switch 107A. Thus, at irregular intervals the cam 106 subjects the assembly, including the drum 74, to a mechanical jarring impulse which has the effect of disturbing any previously stationary ball, for the purpose described hereinabove.

Each time one of the balls bridges a contact set, it closes a circuit from a suitable power source represented by the battery 108 through an electromagnetic relay 109, which, in turn, closes its associated contact set. Assuming that the controller in FIG. 2 is the device 70A of FIG. 1, then the contacts of relay 109 will correspond to contacts 91A, 91B of FIG. 1, so that when the relay 109 is operated it short circuits the corresponding resistor in circuit with track 11a, 11!). If desired, there may be connected in parallel with the relay 109 a suitable electric lamp or bulb 110 which flashes each time a ball bridges a contact set. Thus, the contestant can, to a certain degree, control the number of incremental impulses that are applied to his respective racing devicce, but because of the random action of the jarring of the controller by the cam 106, the advancing of the contestants racing elements is to a certain extent beyond his control. Thus, the game has the combined advantage of enabling each contestant to exercise a certain amount of skill in controlling the motion of his respective racing element and yet there is an element of chance introduced by the jarring of the controller itself.

Because of the weight of the balls 97-100 and the manual manipulation of the controller, the balls tend to drop, roll or bounce around freely within the drum 74, thus short circuiting the respective track. The net result is that the racing elements 21, 22, 23, 24 are also ad- -vanced along their respective tracks at diderent rates of speed until finally one of the racing elements reaches the finish gate and operates the corresponding contacts of that gate (see FIG. 6) to disconnect the 12-volt power supply from the rails and at the same time to cause the illumination of the corresponding finish indicator lamps 44, 45 or 4-6.

A detailed description will now be given of the sequence of operations in using the system of FIG. 1. the elements 22-24 are not uniformly lined up in the rear of the starting gate 47, the finish gate is raised either manually or by a suitable solenoid switch 2% (FIG. 6) so that the movable members can pass under the finish gate. The reset switch 60 is temporarily operated to close the circuit from the terminal 42 through contact 63, 64 and thence through the resistors 67, 68, 69 and back contacts of relay 21 to the track rails 11b, 12b, 13b and through the motors of the devices 22, 24 to the respective grounded rails 11a, 12a, 13a. All the devices 22-24 are thereby advanced to the starting gate 47 where they remain on their respective insulated sections 11c, 12c,

13c. When the race is to be started, the starting switch 66 is momentarily operated, closing a circuit terminal 43 through contacts 66a and the winding of solenoid 54. At the same time a similar circuit is closed through the winding of the starting relay 100A. The energization of solenoid 54 opens the starting gate 47 to the dotted line position. At the same time a locking circuit is provided for solenoid 54, traceable from ground through its winding and associated plunger operated contacts 55, 56, thence through contacts 62, 61 of reset switch 60 to the terminal 43. This maintains the starting gate open until the finish of the race, which latter is controlled by the operation of relay 21, as will be described. At the same time that switch 66 is closed, a locking circuit is closed for the start relay 190A through its contacts 115, 116 and the contacts 113, 114 of relay 21.

The operati-on of relay lthlA connects the 12-volt terminal 42 through contacts 98A and 99A in parallel through the resistors 67, 68, 69 and thence through the normally closed contacts 8811-18, 8911-19, 9tiA-2tl to the respective conductors 15, 16, 17 connected to the track supply rails 11b, 12b, 13b. The resistors 67, 63, 69 are also connected to the corresponding controller contact combs 93, 94, 95, etc.

On the assumption that none of the contact balls 97, 98 of any controller is at this instant in contact with an associated pair of combs, then the current through the resistors 67, 68, 69 will be relatively low and the members 22-24 will be substantially uniformly advanced along their respective tracks. However, as soon as a contact ball bridges any pair of comb contacts, for example contacts 87, 93, the associated relay 109 is operated and the associated resistor 69 is short circuited and correspondingly increases the speed of movement of the corresponding movable element alone. It will also be understood that the pairs of comb contacts in each random controller will be bridged depending upon the random rolling and bouncing movement of the contact balls and depending upon the contestants manipulation of his individual controller.

The purpose of providing a relay such as relay 109 in each controller is to somewhat prolong the short-circuiting time for the corresponding resistor. Thus, the bridging of a pair of comb contacts by a ball may be extremely short or momentary and insuflicient to impart a desirable amount of acceleration to the racing element. Under such conditions such momentary bridging contact closes a circuit through the corresponding relay 109 of any given controller so that a longer dwell of the short-circuiting can occur. It will be understood that each of the relays 109 may be of the well known fast-to-operate but relatively 'slow-to-release kind, the slowness of the release determining the short-circuiting dwell. However, the lamp 110 associated with each controller immediately flashes upon the occurrence of a bridging contact, thus keeping the contestants on the alert as to the timing and occurrence of accelerating impulses.

The members 22-24, therefore, move around the track until one of the members strikes the corresponding swingable contact, such as contact 30, to close a circuit from terminal 43 through contacts 61 and 62 of switch 60, winding of relay 4th, conductor 37, contact 34 (see FIG. 6), con-tact 31!, to the grounded cross-bar 23. Relay 40 immediately locks up over a circuit from the supply terminal 43, normally closed contacts 61, 62 of the reset switch 60, the Winding of relay 4%, contacts 118, 117 to ground. At the same time that relay 40 operates, it connects lamp 45 across the 110-volt supply terminals through relay contacts 119, 120. The operation of relay 40 completes a circuit from ground through its contacts 121, 122, Winding of finish relay 21, to terminal 43. Relay 21 at its contacts 113, 114, breaks the above-described locking circuit for the start relay 1011A, which thereupon releases and at its contacts 98A, 99A removes the 12-volt power supply from the rails, thus preventing any further movement of the elements 22-24 which remain in their final position. When the swinging contact 18 leaves contact 88 it engages contact 18a, and in like manner contact 19 engages 19a and contact 20 engages 21101. This action results in placing a short-circuit across each pair of rails and therefore the motors of the moving members. This results in a braking action on the motors in the Well understood manner. The moving members are thus brought to an immediate stop so that the results of the race can accurately be determined. However, the relay 40 remains energized and the corresponding indicator lamp 45 remains lighted to indicate which one of the movable elements has arrived at the finish point first. When the locking circuit for the start relay 1110A is broken, the locking circuit for the starting gate control solenoid 54 is also broken, which thereupon allows the spring 50 to restore the starting gate to its closed position.

While FIG. 1 shows a system employing three tracks and three movable members, it will be understood that a greater or less number of tracks and corresponding number of movable elements can be employed. Likewise the number of manual controllers will correspond to the number of tracks, so that each contestant can control a corresponding one of the racing members. Similarly there is an individual relay, such as relay 39, 40, 41, etc., for each track, and an individual winning finish lamp such as lamp 44, 45, 46, etc., for each track.

' FIG. 5 shows an arrangement wherein the short-circuiting time or dwell for each of the resistors 67, 68, 69, etc., can be delayed or extended by using grid-controlled gaseous discharge or Thyratron tubes. Thus, each of the relays 169 in the individual controllers instead of having its circuit closed directly by the bridging of a pair of comb contacts, for example contacts 8'7, 93, by a ball, for example ball 9''), is indirectly controlled by the plate current of a respective Thyratron tube 123, 124, 125, etc. Each of those relays is connected in the plate circuit of a corresponding grid-controlled gaseous discharge tube or Thyratron 123, 124, in series with a respective condenser 126, 127, 128. Each of these condensers is normally charged to its positive potential by the positive plate supply of its respective Thyratron when the Thyratron is non-conductive. When a contact ball 97, for example,

bridges a set of comb contacts it grounds the grid of the associated Thyratron, causing it to become conductive and thus providing a discharge circuit for the associated condenser 126 which operates the associated relay ltli That relay remains operated until the condenser is substantially discharged. During that discharge interval the contacts of relay 109 short-circuit the associated track resistor, thus providing an extended period of incremental speed to the associated movable member on the track. The said period of incremental speed can thus be made longer than would be possible with the instantaneous contact between the contact ball and the pin contacts on the drum. When any of the relays 109 releases as a result of the complete discharge of its associated condenser, the corresponding track resistor becomes effective to slow down the speed of the corresponding movable member on the track.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a modification wherein each manual controller, instead of being in the form of a cylindrical drum, is in the form of a fiat circular housing 129 of insulation having the handles 78, 79 at diametrically opposite sides. The housing is supported for flexible universal tilting, turning and depression on the flexible spring support 101, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2. Freely rollable and, to a certain extent, bounceaole within the housing 129 are one or more metal balls 97. The lower flat internal surface of the bottom of the housing is provided with a plurality of sets or" contact strips 130, 131, the alternate strips of each set being interconnected and terminating in the current supply leads 84, 85, as in FIG. 2. The spacing between the contacts of each set is slightly less than the diameter of each of the balls 97 and preferably, although not necessarily, the center of the bottom wall of the housing is provided with interior recess so that when the housing is perfectly horizontal the ball 97 rests in the center thereof. The housing is adapted to be jarred at irregular intervals by a plunger 105, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2, so as to prevent any ball from remaining in a fixed contact bridge position for any continuous length of time. Thus, the circuit wires 84, 85 are bridged at irregular intervals but, to a certain extent, under the control of the contestant who may manipulate the handles 78, 79 to control the duration of the short circuiting periods for the corresponding racing element, as described above in connection with FIG. 1.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit controller for simulated racing games and the like, comprising a closed housing having a plurality of contact sets carried by the interior wall thereof, at least one freely movable metal ball within the housing, a universally movable flexible support for the housing, at least one handle on said housing for controlling the tilting thereof and thereby controlling the bridging of the contact set by said ball, and in which each contact set is comprised of a pair of conductive combs with the teeth of each comb interleaved in spaced relation with the teeth of the other comb and with the interleaved teeth spaced apart so as to be bridged by said ball.

2. A circuit controller according to claim 1, in which said housing is cylindrical and is provided with handles on opposite ends to manually adjust the tilting thereof.

3. A circuit controller for simulated racing games and the like, comprising a hollow drum having a plurality of pairs of contacts carried by an interior wall thereof, a freely movable metal ball within the housing, a coiled spring on which said housing is supported, at least one handle extending from said housing for tilting it and thereby to control the bridging of a contact pair by said ball, and in which a motor driven plunger is arranged to strike said housing at irregular recurrent intervals, and motor means for operating said plunger to jar said housing and thereby to dislodge said ball from bridging contact with a contact pair.

4. A circuit controller according to claim 3 in which the contact pairs are connected in multiple to a relay, and said relay has a pair of contacts which are arranged to open and close a shunt across a current control resistor.

5. A circuit controller according to claim 4, in which said relay is of a fast-to-operate and sloW-to-release kind.

6. A circuit controller according to claim 4 in which a pulse stretch circuit is provided between said relay and said contact sets to increase the interval of effective shunt of said resistance, notwithstanding a momentary bridging of a contact pair by said ball.

7. A circuit controller according to claim 4 in which an indicator lamp is also connected in multiple with said contact pairs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,245,020 6/41 Thompson 2006l.11 2,705,267 3/55 Roza 200-61.49 2,804,514 8/57 Peters ZOO-41.11 2,819,083 1/58 Schitfman 27386 2,827,296 3/58 Walker 273 -86 2,956,633 10/60 Noland 2006l.52 X

LLOYD MCCOLLUM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. 

1. CIRCUIT CONTROLLER FOR SIMULATED RACING GAMES AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A CLOSED HOUSING HAVING A PLURALITY OF CONTACT SETS CARRIED BY THE INTERIOR WALL THEREOF, AT LEAST ONE FREELY MOVABLE METAL BALL WITHIN THE HOUSING, A UNIVERSALLY MOVABLE FLEXIBLE SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSING, AT LEAST ONE HANDLE ON SAID HOUSING FOR CONTROLLING THE TILTING THEREOF AND THEREBY CONTROLLING THE BRIDGING OF THE CONTACT SET BY SAID BALL, AND IN WHICH EACH CONTACT SET IS CONPRISED OF A PAIR OF CONDUCTIVE COMBS WITH THE TEETH OF EACH COMB INTERLEAVED IN SPACED RELATION WITH THE TEETH OF THE OTHER COMB AND WITH THE INTERLEAVED TEETH SPACED APART SO AS TO BRIDGED BY SAID BALL. 